Set to go for a month, between October 15 and November 14, Triple R radio station has been conducting live on-air performances of some of Australia’s finest acts as part of their Spring Loaded sessions.

October 22 saw perhaps this country’s greatest county-bumpkins, Root!, take to the air for a half hour set designed to showcase their new tunes on the back of their Surface Paradise album release, and unique blend of alt-rock/social-commentary. The small performance space in Brunswick East was filled with Rooters out to support the band for their radio set, and they provided the customary in-between song hoots-and-hollers as they were treated to the band’s recognisable hybrid of country-rock-humour.

Lead singer DC Root! had as much fun as expected when you give one of the music industry’s driest wits a microphone and some airtime, and he didn’t fail to ham it up for the crowd and the airwave audience as he proceeded to “dad-dance” and take the piss out of himself, and everyone else, throughout the performance. While not intending to be totally irreverent, his off-the-cuff comment referring to Don Lane, as well as his own growing dementia, prompted the question “too soon?” but that’s what you have to love about Root!, they just don’t give a shit. The satire in his lyrics are never more evident as when he sings about Kyle and Jackie-O’s Truth Detector and Bubble-Boy, not to mention some other surprisingly recent incidents of mirth in current affairs. He surely is one of Australian music’s likeable yet biggest smart-arses.

The set kicked off with the aforementioned Kyle and Jackie-O’s Truth Detector, and from there it was thirty-minutes of lyrical brilliance backed by some rocking country-twang and it was clear the rest of Root! was having a great time playing in this band. Boasting a repertoire of songs such as I Hang Out With The Guys in Jet(- œs Uncle), I Fought The Groove Police, and Orange People, this is definitely a set to check out when it is streamed on the Triple R website

Then, as a special treat for the modest but thoroughly entertained crowd, after the “on-air” light switched off the boys hung around for three more songs including the popular My Other Bumper Sticker is Intelligent. If you are yet to see Root! live, and are a fan of social-humour and rocking tunes, I implore you to go check them out.